The Excellence of Greeting

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• Anas ibn Malik radhiyallahu anhu said, “When the people of Yemen came, Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “The people of Yemen have arrived and they have gentler hearts than you. They are the first to offer the handshake (in greeting).”

• Ibrahim ibn Marzuq ath-Thaqafi radhiyallahu anhu related that his father told him, “Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr radhiyallahu anhu sent me to his mother, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr radhiyallahu anha and he told her how al-Hajjaj was treating them. She made supplication for me and stroked my head. I was a young boy at that time.”

• ‘A’isha radhiyallahu anha said, “I did not see anyone who more resembled Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam in manner of speaking than Fatima radhiyallahu anha. When she came to him, he stood up for her, made her welcome, kissed her and had her sit in his place. When Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam came to her, she stood up for him, took his hand, made him welcome, kissed him, and made him sit in her place. She came to him during his final illness and he greeted her and kissed her.”

• ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Razin radhiyallahu anhu said, “We passed by az-Zubda and were told, “There is Salama ibn al-Akwa radhiyallahu anhu.” I went to him and he greeted us. Then he brought out his hands and stated, “With these two hands I offered allegiance to Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam.” He held out his palm which was as huge as a camel’s foot and we got up and kissed it.”

• Abu Mijaz radhiyallahu anhu said, “Mu‘awiyah radhiyallahu anhu came while ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amir radhiyallahu anhu and ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr radhiyallahu anhu were seated. Ibn ‘Amir radhiyallahu anhu got up while Ibn az-Zubayr radhiyallahu anhu remained seated, and he was weightier of the two. Mu’awiya radhiyallahu anhu said, “Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Whoever likes to have the slaves of Allah stand up out of respect for him should take his place in the Fire.”

• Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Allah created Adam ‘alayhis salaam and his height was 60 hand spans. Allah said, “Go and greet those (a group of angels who were sitting down) and listen to how they answer you. It is your greeting and the greeting of your descendants.” Adam ‘alayhis salaam said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum – Peace be upon you,” and they replied, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” They added, “and the mercy of Allah.” All who enter Jannah will have his form, but creation has continued to decline (in size) until now.”

• Al-Bara’ radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Make the greeting common practice among you and you will be safe.”

• Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “You will not enter Jannah until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I tell you something the doing of which will give you love of one another?” “Yes, Messenger of Allah,” they replied. Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Make the greeting common practice among you.”

• ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Worship the All-Merciful (Allah) and feed people. Make the greeting common practice among you and you will enter Jannah.”

• Jabir radhiyallahu anhu said, “Someone riding should greet someone walking, and someone walking should greet someone sitting down. When there are two people walking, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.”

• Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallahu anhu said that al-Agharr radhiyallahu anhu (who was a man from Muzayna tribe and had been a Companion of Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was owed some measures of dates by a man from the tribe of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf who came to him many times. He said, “I went to Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and he sent Abu Bakr radhiyallahu anhu with me.” He continues, “Everyone we met greeted us. Abu Bakr radhiyallahu anhu said, “Don’t you know that when people give the greeting before us, they have the reward? Give the greeting before them and you will have the reward.”

• Abu Ayyub radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim man to separate himself from his brother for more than three days. When they meet, and one turns away and the other turns away, the better of them is the one who gives the greeting first.”

• Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reported that a man passed by Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam while he was in an assembly and said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum – Peace be upon you.” “Ten good deeds,” Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said. Another man passed by and said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Twenty good deeds.” Then yet another man passed by and said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing,” and Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Thirty good deeds.” Then a man in the gathering got up and did not give the greeting. Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “How quickly your companion forgets! When one of you comes to an assembly, he should give the greeting. If he thinks he should sit down, he sits down. When he stands up, he gives the greeting. Neither is a greater duty than the other.”

• ‘Umar radhiyallahu anhu said, “I was riding behind Abu Bakr radhiyallahu anhu and he passed by some people. He said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum – Peace be upon you.” They said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” He said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.” They said, “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu – Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.” Abu Bakr radhiyallahu anhu said, “Today the people have been very much better than us.”

• Anas radhiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “As-Salam is one of the names of Allah Almighty which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore give the greeting among yourselves.”

• Abu Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu said, “I heard Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam say, ” “The rights a Muslim has over another Muslim arefive.Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam was asked, “What are they?” He replied, “When he meets him, he should greet him. When he gives him an invitation, he should accept. When he asks him for advice, he should give him good counsel. When he sneezes and says “Alhamdulillah – praise to Allah,” he should wish him mercy (i.e. say Yarhamukallah). When he is ill, he should visit him. When he dies, he should accompany him.”

• ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Shibl radhiyallahu anhu said that he heard Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “The person riding should greet the person on foot. The person on foot should greet the person who is seated. The smaller group should greet the larger group. Whoever answers the greeting that is for him (in reward). Whoever does not answer it has nothing (in reward).”

• Jabir radhiyallahu anhu said, “When two people walking meet, then the one who gives the greeting first is the better of them.”